Zidane was sent off 20 minutes into extra-time for head-butting Marco Materazzi in the chest.

The match ended 1-1 and Italy went on to win the penalty shoot-out 5-3, with David Trezeguet missing a crucial kick.

The France captain had given his side the lead from the penalty spot in the seventh minute after Materazzi had clipped Florent Malouda's ankle as he raced into the box.

But the former Everton defender powered home a header from a corner for Italy's equaliser 12 minutes later.

Domenech was furious with Materazzi - and claimed referee Horacio Elizondo only produced a red card after the fourth official had seen a video replay.

He said: "The sending off of Zidane changed the match, that was the killing moment. I'm not excusing it but I can understand. It was too bad, a totally useless gesture. We regret it and he also regrets it. We had been playing better than Italy in extra-time and you could see they were just waiting for penalties. It was a pity that we were without Zidane for the last 10 minutes, it affected our balance and perhaps it should not have happened.

"The referee was not on our side.

"Of course it's sad having a great player like Zidane being sent off. Something must have happened but I don't know what. I don't think he decided out of the blue to head-butt him."

The Argentinian referee was the official who sent off Wayne Rooney. Domenech claimed: "The referee saw nothing, the assistant saw nothing then we have the fourth official saying what happened. We have video replays in football now."

Meanwhile Italy woke up as world champions with coach Marcello Lippi insisting not even the corruption scandal back home can lessen the country's euphoria.

Italian judges were today due to deliver a verdict in a match-fixing scandal that could see mighty Juventus relegated to the third division and Lazio, Fiorentina and AC Milan sent down to division two.

But for Lippi there was just joy. He said: "Do I think it will be difficult to go back to reality? We go back to the reality of Italian football as champions of the world. I have been coach of a club who have been European champions but I have never had a feeling like this before. It is a brilliant feeling for the whole of Italy."

Lippi made special mention of keeper Buffon and captain Cannavaro, Italy's inspiration all tournament, who play for Juventus. "This World Cup has given opportunities to two people who have suffered," said Lippi.